


milk and cookies

by dangerousredhead (Dangerousredhead)



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-08 03:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20289595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dangerousredhead/pseuds/dangerousredhead
Summary: Alyssa is a third-grade teacher at Edgewater Elementary, the same school that just established a new arts program and hired a certain guitar-playing blonde to teach music. Emma and Alyssa have an immediate connection but also the emotional intelligence of a cactus.Sometimes it takes a few overworked teachers, two Broadway stars and their publicist, and a group of precocious 8-year-olds to get two people together.aka the teacher au





	1. Alyssa

Alyssa remembers the first time she met Emma as clear as day. It was definitely not the first time she had seen Emma. That is not to say she was stalking the blonde – seeking out a person is not the same as stalking, right? Just ever since that first staff meeting when Mr Hawkins had introduced the young women as the new music teacher Alyssa would keep an eye out in the staff room, playground, car park, hell, even the grocery store, just in case her fellow teacher was lost or needed help. No, it was definitely not stalking – she was just trying to be helpful and welcoming. And yet Emma seemed to be busy every time Alyssa would work up the nerves to approach her, either distracted by Trent's boisterous gesturing about his plans for the annual musical or covered in dust reorganizing the old band storage closet.

So despite working at the same school for two weeks, Alyssa only met Emma when she walked into the band room to collect her class, where Emma was crouched on a tiny stool, strumming on her guitar, which was covered with stickers. Her voice was warm and bright, singing Imagine as a clumsy circle of 8-year-olds sat enraptured. Surrounding Emma was Alyssa's third grade class, quiet seemingly for the first time since the new school year started. Even Nick, who couldn't stop still long enough to tie his shoelaces, was only swaying slightly to Emma's rhythm.

This new music class was part of Hawkin's plan to revitalize arts education at Edgewater Elementary. Apparently, he had convinced some big Broadway star to sponsor weekly music, dance and drama lessons, with each class allotted one morning a week to rotate through the program. Last weeks dance class with Ms Dickinson had started a class-wide obsession with jazz hands. Kaylee had nearly knocked over Kevin with an overly enthusiastic box step. 

Overall though, Alyssa was ecstatic with the new art program, ostensibly because studies had shown the importance of arts education for young minds. It certainly wasn't because the morning classes meant that she didn't have to get to the school until 11am on Thursdays, to pick up the class for recess. The brunette appreciated the sleep in, especially after her mother had scheduled weekly dinners on Wednesday nights. The emotional exhaustion from those dinners meant her Thursday mornings were almost always nightmares.

In comparison, this Thursday morning was looking significantly less nightmare-ish. Quite the opposite in fact.

Emma's eyes locked with hers as the final chords drifted off and the sounds of uncoordinated clapping took over the cosy music room. She smiled, her eyes crinkling behind pale pink glasses and 16 little heads whipped around to look at the intruder who had stolen the focus of their music teacher.

"Miss Greene! Did you know that Miss Emma can play that guy-tar?" Squealed Kaylee, starting a chorus of high-pitched voices, fighting for Alyssa's attention.

"And she's going to teach us to play too!" shouted Kevin, squirming with excitement, a tambourine clattering to the floor from his lap.

Softly, with her eyes still focused adoringly at her new teacher, Shelby added, "She can sing too". Turning to Alyssa, she continued, "Don't you think Miss Emma has the bestest, prettiest voice?"

Alyssa, used to dealing with an avalanche of questions of varying sense, began to answer when Emma cleared her throat, taking back the attention of the class. "Okay gang, everyone needs to help pack up. Can we put all the instruments back in the boxes? Carefully!"

The children groaned as the teacher put down her guitar and gestured towards the brightly coloured tubs sitting against the classroom wall. "Come on, if we do it together, it'll be quick, and then you guys can head to recess!" The promise of food jumpstarted the students, who began rushing around to pick up all the triangles, tambourines and claves laying around on the floor around them.

As the students tidied, Alyssa walked up to Emma, who was putting her guitar gently back into its case. "Shelby is right, you have a lovely voice." Alyssa isn't entirely sure where that confidence came from but gave herself an imaginary pat on the back for the smoothness of the comment.

As for Emma, she blushed, hiding her face as she finished closing up the case before standing up to face the brunette. "Thanks, um, its really just an easy song, anyone could sing it really, even you…" Emma trailed off.

"Are you suggesting I have a bad voice?" Alyssa cocked an eyebrow, amused.

"No, no – I mean – I've never heard your voice, but I'm sure its fine, or more than fine, I mean looking at you I'm sure you have an angelic voice," Emma paused, "not to judge you based on your looks or to stereotype you or anything- no I'm only trying to say-"

Alyssa finally took pity on the flailing women. "I think I understand what you mean. I'm Alyssa by the way. Alyssa Greene. And this rowdy lot is my class."

"I know" Emma blurted out, the shade of pink on her checks matching her glasses. "I mean, I know you teach them. Mr Hawkins gave me a list of all the teachers and classes and stuff- very helpful." Emma trailed off.

Alyssa didn't say anything back, just looked expectantly at the slightly taller women. Emma's dirty blonde hair fell into her eyes, and Alyssa felt the urge to reach up and brush it back behind her ears. Her hair looked very soft, and suddenly Alyssa was imagining her hands entangled in the tresses. Thankfully Emma caught on and responded before Alyssa's thoughts could get further down the gutter and less appropriate for a room filled with 8-year-olds. "Oh, um I'm Emma Nolan."

"It's lovely to finally meet you, Emma Nolan. I've heard many great things but haven't seen you around in the staff room." Alyssa tried not to let on her stalk-ery tendencies but couldn't help her curious tone.

Emma looked bemused as if the idea of someone looking for her hadn't occurred to her before. "Oh well the band closet is in desperate need of attention, so I've been cleaning it out the past couple weeks." She trailed off, looking around at the brightly decorated music room before finally meeting Alyssa's eyes again. "Plus I don't really know many of the other teachers, so I don't really mind spending my breaks organizing."

Alyssa softened at the thought of the other teacher feeling alone. "Well, now you know someone. And I'd love to spend lunch with you." Alyssa was already making plans in her head of how she could show Emma she was welcome at the school.

Emma held Alyssa's gaze, both softly smiling at each other. They held eye contact for a long pause, neither saying anything. Emma opened her mouth to thank Alyssa when-

"MISS! We've put away everything can we have recess now!" Nick shouted expectantly looking up to his teachers who were standing slightly too close to each other.

Alyssa a bit frazzled, looked away from Emma to see 16 expected faces staring at her. "Yes, yes, let's go! We've got cookies and milk waiting for us. Everyone in line and say thank you to Miss Nolan"

A hand on Alyssa's wrist interrupts her, and she turned to see the music teacher, "Miss Emma, please."

The hand didn't move as a chorus of thank you's and goodbyes were chanted at the teacher. Alyssa looked up at Emma with a soft smile as the blonde stepped back, "Have a good day, Miss Greene".

Alyssa rolled her eyes at the use of her title but made no point of it, instead answering, "Will do. See you at lunch?" She paused, thinking for a moment before continuing, speaking over the beginning of Emma's response. "Actually, do you happen to like milk and cookies?"

Emma grinned, "Does anyone not?"

"Well, Jake's mom made plenty of cookies to share for recess, if you wanted." Alyssa tried not to get too hopeful. Surely the music teacher had better things to do than eat chocolate chip cookies in miniature seats, making sure that 8-year olds didn't pour milk all over the floor.

"I would love that." Emma moved to join the students and their teacher. Alyssa, internally fist-pumping for getting to spend more time with Emma, counted up all the students, lined up next to the door in pairs, each holding hands with their buddy.

She went to start leading them back to their classroom when Shelby softly tugged on her arm. "Miss Greene – you can't leave Miss Emma without a buddy, she might get lost."

Alyssa giggled before seeing how sincere Shelby seemed. Humouring her, she gestured for Emma to stand next to her. Ready to go, they were interrupted again, this time by a louder voice, "Miss, all pairs must hold hands. It's your rules! Otherwise, who knows what will happen" Kevin stood defiantly, swinging his hand which was grasped with Nick's.

Alyssa looked over to Emma, an apologetic look on her face, but Emma merely looked amused before reaching over to interlace their fingers and the class set forward towards their promised milk and cookies, Alyssa's heart pounding loudly in her ears.


	2. Trent

Trent had a special talent. Well, actually multiple talents. But this particular one was knowing when people were faking it and when they were being real. This sixth sense has been finely tuned during his time at Julliard, where he always knew that Meredith wasn't fully in character and he could tell that Leslie wasn't acting, she really was just a bitch. And with this lie detector, he could see right through Alyssa when she tried to convince him that her skipping every lunch these past few weeks to help Emma Nolan tidy a storage closet was purely out of duty. A fellow teacher welcoming a new staff member. No, Trent immediately called bullshit on that one. Well not literally, he did work in an elementary school after all. But he made it clear that he wasn't convinced as Alyssa rushed out of the staff room.

He had initially thought that maybe Alyssa and Emma were making liberal use of the closet for other purposes, less cleaning and far dirtier. However, the thought was quickly disregarded for three reasons. 

Firstly, he had known Alyssa for two years, ever since she first started teaching at Edgewater. She walked into the staff room and he could immediately tell from her posture that she had had serious dance training- he could tell because he had seen many dancers when he had trained at Julliard. As the sole performing arts teacher at Edgewater, Trent had latched onto Alyssa as a kindred spirit, so much more developed than the other hick teachers who couldn't tell Lloyd Webber from Sondheim. And over those two years, a friendship had developed, and Trent felt almost fatherly towards the young woman.

He knew that Alyssa would never engage in anything untoward at a school, especially with children around. She cared too much about her students and was, in Trent's view, a bit too much of a goody-two-shoes to even consider making out in a storage closet at school. While Trent hadn't known Emma for long, he could tell that she would probably be equally mortified at the idea. Emma always carried around colourful stickers for her students and lets them plaster them all over her and her guitar. She rewrote lyrics to songs to make them more child-friendly - even songs explicitly written for children. No, Trent could tell that Emma wouldn't dare put herself in a situation where a student could walk in and see way too much.

Secondly, the music storeroom actually was a giant mess. Trent felt slightly guilty about that, knowing that he had used the closet in the past to store everything from Godspell costumes to broken recorders. He couldn't help it, he had long been the only arts teacher so he had expanded into the music closet. Not that he'd admit to it - no, he had spent way too long and too much money on an education at Julliard to be tasked with menial labor. Trent had come out of the closet almost 3 decades ago, he wouldn't voluntarily go back, no matter the type of closet. Plus, some of the junk was left there from the last music teacher, who had retired over 5 years ago (but it was mostly Trent's trash). So, it was reasonable that Emma and Alyssa were spending that amount of time to clean out the closet.

Finally, and perhaps the most convincing argument against the two teachers getting familiar in a closet was that, knowing Emma and Alyssa, there was no way that they would get there shit together that quickly. Knowing them separately, Trent had no doubt that together, those disaster lesbians could spend a decade just to go on a single date. Alyssa would always ask after Emma in the staff room and would save her coffee and pastries for the morning meetings as Emma notoriously stumbled in late. Emma would sleepily accept, giving Alyssa a look of worship, as if she had just been blessed by a heavenly power.

Emma would also always walk past Alyssa's third-grade classroom in between music classes, peering in to watch as Alyssa crouched next to a miniature table helping Nick with his multiplication tables or as she enthusiastically dramatized Harry Potter for the class during reading time. Emma was clearly infatuated with the brunette teacher, and Alyssa wasn't much better. But no matter how clear it was to literally everyone around them, Trent knew that Emma and Alyssa would probably never act on their feelings unless forced to confront them. You could call this sense his Lesbian-derstanding. Interestingly, not developed at Julliard but rather from his time working at the check out of a Home Depot during high school.

So yeah, Trent could tell that while Alyssa clearly liked Emma, and Emma clearly liked Alyssa, nothing was happening in that storage closet except for organization. That is, unless Trent has his way.

He'd been chatting about his plan for a while to pretty much anyone who would listen. He accidentally started gossiping to Kaylee once before remembering that she was 8 and probably shouldn't know the nitty gritty of why her two teachers should get together. His true confidant on this matter, and his partner in crime, was Angie, the new dance teacher. Trent had known Angie for years, ever since his time at Julliard. Angie hadn't gone to the school but had been an ensemble member for the off-Broadway revival of Cats, which had co-starred Trent's boyfriend at the time. That boyfriend ran off with Mr Mistoffelees after the show closed, but Trent didn't mind much because he had found Angie.

After Julliard (and many failed auditions), Trent had found his passion in educating the youth, first through an ill-advised sitcom and finally through teaching. Moving to the Midwest to truly make a difference in the hick-est of small towns, Trent had been apart from Angie for too long. Angie herself had been in New York the entire time, living out her dreams of a starring role on Broadway by understudying Roxie Hart for 15 years. So when Mr Hawkins had told Trent that he had somehow secured funding for two additional arts teachers, Trent had immediately jumped on the phone to convince Angie to come to teach.

Initially unsure, Angie was masterful with the kids, inspiring confidence and sharp fosse-esque movements that only sometimes resulted in Kevin being whacked in the head. More than merely being a good teacher, Angie also wanted to get Alyssa and Emma together. They both, as the cool kids would say, "shipped" Alymma - or was Emmssa better? Maybe Greenelan? It was beside the point. All the mattered was that Trent and Angie were co-Captains of the ship and would be ready to protect it no matter the cost.

This is what led to Trent and Angie being squished into kindergarten sized chairs gossiping as they watched Emma and Alyssa banter while cleaning out the storage closet through a gap in the classroom door.

"I bet you a hundred dollars that Alyssa makes the first move," Angie proposed. "I just don't see Emma as having that confidence, plus she is super oblivious. Remember when Alyssa fell over when Emma walked in wearing that new blazer."

"Oh honey, do I remember! Emma thought that Alyssa was sick and brought in homemade chicken soup every day for the rest of the week," Trent reminisced, shaking his head. "Granted Alyssa is not much better- she still claims that when Emma serenades her after class, it's so the girl can practice! Practice! She does know that Emma has a degree in music, right? From Berklee no less. I mean it's no Julliard by-"

"Yeah, yeah, we get it, Trent. But I agree that it's getting a bit too obvious. Even the kids have started picking up on it."

Trent got visibly excited as he remembered a story that he had forgotten to tell the other teacher. "Oh my goodness its getting so bad. Yesterday I had Alyssa's class, and we were exploring emotions- like acting out happiness, anger, sadness, you know the ones..."

"Yes, Trent, I, like most other people, do experience emotions," Angie cut him off, rolling her eyes. 

Trent glared at her. "ANYWAY, we did love and were talking about how you can convey love and let's just say Emma and Alyssa might have a little fan club in their hands."

_ "How do you think we can act out love?" Trent asked the third-grade class clustered around him. The students began shouting out answers. _

_ _

_ "Hugs" "Kissing"  _

_ _

_ Trent cut them off with a dramatic sweep of his arms. "Can we do it without touching another person?" _

_ _

_ There was a pause in the group as they pondered the question. Nick's eyebrows were scrunched together as he visible thought about it. _

_ _

_ Shelby stuck her arm up, always the perfect student. "Smiling? Being around love makes you happy right, so smiling?" She got quiet for a bit as there was no response from the group. "Like how Miss Greene always smiles when Miss Emma helps walk us back to our classroom?" _

_ _

_ Kevin jumped on Shelby's example, getting another idea. "They also always stare at each other funnily. Sometimes Nick has to yell to get their attention. So maybe eye contact?" _

_ _

_ Before Trent could redirect the conversation away from his coworkers and their apparent inability to keep their heart eyes to themselves, Nick cut in. "But Miss Greene and Miss Emma can't be in love- they're both girls." _

_ _

_ Shelby immediately shot up in disagreement, her arms crossed over her pink unicorn sweater. "So?- my aunt's married to a girl and they love each other. They have the cutest puppy and always take me out to brunch and let me eat pancakes with ice cream on top." _

_ _

_ Kaylee's high-pitched voice joined the fray, "but love is only for a mom and a dad, that's how it's meant to be."  _

_ _

_ Nick nodded from next to her, but Kevin looked unconvinced, interjecting, "it doesn't have to be though. I love my pet goldfish, Gary. And my brother. And he loves his girlfriend, and they're not married." _

_ _

_ Trent stood next to this group conversation, unsure of how to enter, or even if he should. Shelby and Kevin seemed to be convincing the rest of the class, based on the tiny faces nodding thoughtfully around them. _

_ _

_ More voices joined in agreement as other students sided with Shelby. "Yeah, my mom always says love is respect and is always being helpful like my dad always does the dishes." Taylor stood with her hands on her hips, looking very confident for the tiniest student in the group/ _

_ _

_ Kevin looked at Taylor with excitement, "Like how Miss Greene helps Miss Emma carry the instruments and stuff, even when it's only really one box." _

_ _

_ Nick's eyebrows were still bunched up as he tried to process the entire conversation but seemed to be swaying in his belief. "I guessso. I mean, Miss Emma IS really nice." _

_ _

_ "And has a really pretty voice," Shelby added quietly. _

_ _

_ "And she makes Miss Greene happy. That's the most importantest thing." Kaylee said solemnly. She took all things concerning her favourite teacher very seriously. _

_ _

_ Trent almost burst into laughter as the entire class nodded in agreement with Kaylee's approval of their teachers' currently non-existent relationships. His drama program was obviously getting through to the kids. Only 8 years old and already so in touch with their emotions. He really was born to teach. _

"It just shows you how important arts education really is. How else can these children really get in touch with their emotions and find their confidence?" Trent pontificated to the exasperated dance teacher.

Angie thought for a moment. "Huh, maybe we should get Emma and Alyssa in some arts program so they can stop playing chicken."

"I could work with them. Really get them to look inside themselves and see one another. You know, I once did this masterclass with Jerry Orbach while I was at Jul-"

"OR we could just lock them in the supply closet." Angie cut him off before he could mention his alma mater once more.

"You know, that is maybe not a horrible idea. If they still aren't together by December, we could lure them in and tie them toget-." Trent abruptly shut his mouth, pausing in the middle of a very suspicious sounding sentence as Mrs Humphries came into the classroom to prep.

Angie and Trent quickly stood up (Trent getting stuck for a moment in the chair). As they left, heading towards their own class, they received a very odd look from the bemused kindergarten teacher.

Trent turned back before exiting, "We were just doing some joint lesson planning. It's called the Meisner technique- you might not be familiar, as it is very complex. I, myself didn't master it until I went to Julliard."

Of the other two teachers, it was impossible to tell who groaned the loudest.


End file.
